BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
It is frequently difficult to quickly, efficiently and safely emplace intravenous catheters so that the tip of the catheter is inserted in the blood vessel in a way which does not damage the vessel or surrounding tissues, and which permits an intravenous introduction of fluid to the blood vessel immediately thereafter. Moreover, where a needle is used to puncture the blood vessel in advance of the catheter tip entering through the opening made by the needle, retraction of the needle to leave the catheter in position frequently poses the possibility of the nurse or paramedic placing the catheter being scratched or nicked by the needle. Further, retraction of the needle sometimes causes the catheter end itself to be pulled back out of the blood vessel. Moreover, disposition of such needle in a safe mode so that it is beyond any possibility of re-use or inadvertent scratching of personnel is a desiderata very imperfectly realized with present systems for emplacing intravenous catheters.